Sigil 021 Main
PM Havenfall: So...last we left off. PM Havenfall: Having completed your business in Enora and collected the first stone, you guys returned to Havenfall. It had been a few months, but things had not changed as much as you'd probably expected. PM Havenfall: After a brief conversation with Gerald you learned that new Mage's Guildmaster Tusim Nalenehim had been looking for you. Apparently something was left there for you and wouldn't leave, or so you were told. Gerald did not get all the details. PM Havenfall: Anomie, formerly Jamaros Darksbane, recently dethroned leader of the premier crime syndicate in the city wanted to check in on a brothel, though. He claimed to have left instructions for someone to leave something there in case a situation like this came up. PM *** Rune TOLD them it was a bad idea. *** PM Hank: (( definitely no chance of t being a trap or anything.)) PM *** Rune TOLD YOU SO. *** PM *** Rune SO MUCH. *** PM Havenfall: Given this, you decided to split the party into two groups. One went to the Guild where you learned what had come for you was actually a person. Mathias, the cleric of Ioun and bizarre mountain hermit. Mathias revealed that his goddess had revealed information that you would take interest in. First, that Nefron, a fey being that Quill had...unfortunate past interaction with, had returned to this plane, sent by The MArquis to intercept you on your quest. PM Havenfall: Second, a vaguer and perhaps even more ominous premonition. Someone in your party would betray you. PM Havenfall: As this occurred, the other group first went to drop off Hank's armor at the blacksmith and then went to the brothel. PM Havenfall: It turned out the brothel was, indeed, a trap. PM Hank: (( and no one warned us.)) PM Havenfall: Hank found himself trapped in some sticky concoction and only managed to barely get Anomie out on the back of Kai. PM Havenfall: Anna went bear to try and help Hank but has, as of yet, not managed. PM *** Rune totally warned you. *** PM Havenfall: Word has gotten to the rest of you via medallions, so you are now racing to the brothel as Anomie races away. PM Havenfall: And that...dear friends... PM Havenfall: Brings us to where we are. PM | Edited 7:13:21 PM Havenfall: So, I would like everyone to roll initiative. PM Havenfall: Even Rune and Quill, as they are going to try and get here, I believe. Was it Quill who cast fly or Rune? PM Rune: ((Quill.)) PM Hank: ((7 )) PM Havenfall: Good news, Anna, you rolled a natural twenty. PM Havenfall: ((Ok)) PM Quill: ((Yus, I cast Fly.)) PM Anna: goes my good roll for the night. :P PM Havenfall: Ok, so, Anna, you go first. You're a bear. Hank is stuck in honey next to you. You count 9 would-be assassins on you already brandishing weapons. PM Havenfall: What would you like to do. PM Havenfall: Oh, I forgot Anomie's roll. PM Havenfall: Nevermind, Anomie actually goes first. PM Havenfall: Anomie is going to make a STR roll to hold onto Kai as he's going pegasus. PM Havenfall: ((Sorry, making a couple rolls here)) PM Hank: (( s’ok take your time.)) PM Anna: fine. PM Havenfall: Ok, so, Anomie is able to stay on as Kai rushes the door, just as the door shuts. PM Havenfall: He doesn't manage to get there before it closes, but it doesn't matter, cause Kai just bulldozes through it (18 STR and another nat 20) and the door is knocked off it's hinges as he takes off. PM Havenfall: Anomie is clinging to the back and you hear her screams of terror fade into the distance as Kai begins to make a full dash away, following Hank's last order. PM Hank: (( yes, go Kai !)) PM Havenfall: And now it's Anna's turn. :) PM *** Anna , having had too much shenanigans to bear, at this point, is itching for a good old-fashioned mauling. It's fairly clear that she isn't getting Hank unstuck so she is going to focus on being big and scary. to attack the nearest assassin and completely ruin their day *** PM Havenfall: ...ok...let me just look up bear stats. :) PM Havenfall: Ok, so, start with a claw attack? PM Anna: Multiattack if I can. PM Havenfall: ....whelp...that's a nat 1. PM Havenfall: So, let's try the bite. PM Havenfall: Ok, so, your claw swings very wide as you get kind of stuck to Hank yourself, but you lunge at him with a bite and bite hard into the shoulder. PM Havenfall: You deal 7 points of damage and the guy seems very hurt. PM Quill: ((Bear casts Bear)) PM Havenfall: He doesn't appear to be one of the prostitutes themselves. He has a more traditional assassin look. PM *** Anna shakes him around a little to hammer home the point that if they get close, they're next. mechanical effect, Anna's just grumpy. *** PM Havenfall: Rolled intimidation anyway, just in case. No one seems to be any more unnerved than they were before. PM Havenfall: Ok, the brothel matron goes next. The one whose name you...probably know but whose name I have lost and can't remember. ^^; PM Hank: (( madame Myria)) PM Havenfall: ((Thank you.)) PM Havenfall: Madame Myria pulls a heavy crossbow from under the desk and fires two shots at Anna. PM Havenfall: The first one hits, the second one goes wide. PM Havenfall: Anna, you take 6 points of damage, which is...basically nothing, especially in your bear form. PM Havenfall: However, as it sets in, you start to feel...kind of woozy. PM *** Anna understands that Myria needs to make at least a token effort. She doesn't hold this against her. Still angry, though. *** PM Hank: (( if it’s a saving throw add 3 to it aura of protection.)) PM Havenfall: Myria: "This can all end, dragonborn. Just tell us where to find Darksbane." PM Havenfall: ((Ah, ok. It still fails though. But that does have an effect.)) PM Havenfall: Quill, I assume you and Rune will spend your turns dashing to get there. PM Havenfall: How fast is fly? PM Quill: 60 Feet.)) PM Havenfall: ((Also, a reminder, they've always been seeing Hank as a dragonborn and Anomie as a little red-haired human girl)) PM Havenfall: Ok, and one last question...did you cast it on Osenas too, or is he back at the Guild? PM Quill: I cast it on three of us, so yes.)) PM Havenfall: Ok, so you're all going then. PM *** Rune dash! *** PM Havenfall: With a dash, I'll say you guys make pretty good headway, but you were pretty far out. PM *** Rune enjoys flying when it's the Fly spell, oddly, and never gets sick during it. *** PM Havenfall: ((Probably the control)) PM Havenfall: Ok, so now the assassins go. PM Havenfall: Hank, roll insight for me, please. PM Hank: ((10 )) PM Havenfall: All the prostitutes miss by...a lot. PM Havenfall: For the record, of the nine figures swarming, the four in cloaks appear to be traditional henchmen and they fair much better. PM Havenfall: So, Hank gets hit by two blows. PM Havenfall: Hank you take a collective 30 points of damage. PM Havenfall: The other two land on Anna and one was a critical hit. PM Havenfall: Anna takes 41 points and you lose your bear form. PM | Edited 7:50:22 PM Anna: just means I have more options. PM Havenfall: I think 7 points of that carries over to your reg form. PM Havenfall: Hank, you are probably pretty banged up, but it's your turn. PM Hank: (( action or movement to try and free myself?)) PM Havenfall: ((Action)) PM *** Hank will attack one of the Assassins and then cast sanctuary on himself *** PM Hank: (( 27 and a 13 to hit)) PM Havenfall: First one hits, the second one does not. He is very badly hurt by that first strike, though. PM Havenfall: Ok, for the sake of time and effort, I will count both Rune and Quill's turn (I assume Hank's turn is done) and say you guys get within 60ft of the brothel and see Anomie on the back of Kai. Anomie seems to be struggling to stay on and even veering Kai around a bit. PM | Edited 7:56:01 PM Rune: I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A BAD IDEA. PM Havenfall: Rune, if you want to do anything for Anomie or Kai, say so n-- PM Havenfall: Ok then. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "HELP! HELP! HELP!" PM Quill: (Insdie or outside the brothel?)) PM Havenfall: ((Outside)) PM *** Rune casts Flambe. *** PM Havenfall: Ok, Rune, give me just two d20 rolls and take the lower of the two. PM Rune: ((2. Oh dear.)) PM Havenfall: Oh this'll be fun. PM Rune: ((It was nice knowing you guys.)) PM Anna: Welp PM Rune: ((I hope you had more than 24 HP, or 12 if you save.)) PM Havenfall: Ok, Rune, you try and laser your way through the baddies by peeking through a window. PM Havenfall: Unfortunately, it is VERY sketchy and Hank and Anna are caught in the crossfire. So, Hank, please roll a dex save. With your +3. Same for Anna. PM Havenfall: Well, Anna makes it handily. PM Rune: ((Thank goodness.)) PM Hank: (( 11 )) PM Rune: ((You know, at least Hank won't understand why he just took huge damage.)) PM Rune: ((Or what that pretty orange stuff is.)) PM Havenfall: ((......do you get any other bonuses Hank?)) PM Hank: (( nope dexterity is 10 )) PM Havenfall: ...so, you take 24 damage then. From the mysterious orange stuff. PM Havenfall: You still conscious? PM Hank: Yep. PM Havenfall: Ok, good. PM Havenfall: More good news, three of the assassins are now dead. PM Hank: (( does the wall stay?)) PM Havenfall: Yep. PM | Edited 8:05:18 PM Havenfall: I believe until Rune disspells it. PM Rune: ((Concentration, up to 1 minute.)) PM Quill: ((Burninating)) PM Havenfall: One guy though, who hadn't taken damage yet, nat 20'd his roll and dodged it. So, he's burned, but still kicking. PM Havenfall: One of the...I don't like calling them prostitutes. One of the employees also made his saved and is...alive. ...like...he's not good, but he's alive. PM Rune: ((Sex workers.)) PM Rune: ((I think that's usually the preferred term.)) PM Havenfall: ((Ok, good to know. Thank you.)) PM Havenfall: ...I am gonna skip Anna's turn cause she's afk and I don't know what Anna would do in this very bizarre situation. PM Havenfall: Like...I don't even know if you guys know what just happened. PM Havenfall: So, I'll just say she fails her second...nope, actually, pretty sure once she went back to warforged the poison didn't work anymore. PM Havenfall: ...I'll say she's just stunned by all this. PM Havenfall: Madame Myria goes now. PM Rune: ((Well you might have heard Rune scream I TOLD YOU. :) )) PM Havenfall: She looks at this...very odd display...and siezes the opportunity to attack the last assassin with her crossbow. PM Havenfall: She head shots him and tells the sex workers to stand down. PM Havenfall: And I'll end initiative there. So, Quill, Rune, I assume you guys fly back in. PM *** Quill does. *** PM Quill: So how'd it go. PM *** Rune does too! *** PM Havenfall: You guys see a giant wall of fire that Hank's probably looking at like he's gonna touch it, many half naked people with knives, three corpses and Madame Myria behind the desk with a large crossbow. PM Rune: Hank, don't touch that. PM Rune: It's magic. PM *** Hank will try to free himself from the tile again. *** PM Rune: Now, who's going to explain. PM Havenfall: Without a time constraint, I will say that Hank is, eventually, able to get loose. PM *** Rune looks at Crossbow Lady. *** PM Havenfall: Madame Myria: "I'm sorry. We had orders and the new Darksbane sent men to make sure we followed up." PM Havenfall: Myria: "I have to put my people first." PM Rune: Oh. That makes sense. I told them not to be stupid. PM *** Rune vanishes the wall of fire. *** PM Havenfall: Myria: "Fortunately, you murdered nearly all of the goons watching my men so...I figured I'd finish the job." PM Havenfall: Rune, Quill, you would notice a crossbow bolt sticking out of one of the corpses' heads. PM Rune: That's not murder, it's self-defense. PM Havenfall: Myria: "Let's compromise and say you killed them." PM *** Rune vanishes the firewall. *** PM Havenfall: It vanishes. PM Rune: Murder is rude. PM Havenfall: Kai, for the record, has continued to head back to the safehouse, per Hank's last instruction. PM Havenfall: Myria: "...well...I thank you, anyway." PM Rune: … where IS former Darksbane, anyway? PM Rune: You're welcome. … sorry about the mess. PM Havenfall: Myria: "No idea. Saw this dragonborn fella come in with a lady. I figure they work for him." PM Hank: Something like that. PM Havenfall: Myria: "...I wouldn't stick around here, if I was you. The story of your daring assault and escape will go over much better if you're not here when more of Torment's men come." PM Rune: Right. Come on. PM *** Hank will head out. *** PM Havenfall: Ok, you guys begin your trek back. Between a carpet and more of the fly spell, I'll say it goes quickly. PM Quill: So, Hank. You tired of getting hurt by that mysterious flicker orange stuff? PM Quill: Like Rune's always conjuring? PM Hank: Yes. PM Quill: Well, your best friend, the crazy guy who lives in a cave, says he can help you with that. PM Hank: And how will we find the stones then? PM Hank: And when did you guys have time to get to the cave? PM Havenfall: Taeral: "By doing actual research in libraries and such?" PM Rune: We didn't get to the cave, Mathias was at the guild. PM Hank: Which is time that according to William we don’t have Taeral. PM Quill: He said you can keep what you learned, but getting rid of the curse would be a whole mess on its own. PM Hank: ... how so? PM Quill: He was not terribly specific to us... he had other dire portents. PM Hank: Of course he did. What were they? PM Havenfall: At this point, I'd say you guys are approaching the headquarters. PM Rune: That someone we know will betray us. PM Rune: Which is only common sense, as it's very hard to betray someone you don't know. PM Quill: And that, improbably, I have too many nemeses. PM Havenfall: You guys reach your home...or Havenfall home, I guess. The door is wide open and Kai is standing in front, obediently. PM Hank: Ok, so as much as I want to fix my head it sounds like that should be back burner to the other issues we have. PM *** Hank will head in. *** PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Except your head fixing solution is HERE!" PM Quill: No, the fire thing is important so you don't kill yourself. PM Quill: That would be exceedingly inconvenient. PM Havenfall: As you enter, you see Anomie sitting on a couch with an empty bottle of wine. The empty bottle you picked up from the brothel. There is no expected note inside. PM Hank: So that whole thing was for nothing Jim? PM Havenfall: Anomie doesn't say anything. Her face is VERY grim. PM Rune: Now what? PM Havenfall: Anomie shrugs. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Either Darthok (half-orc you've dealt with before) betrayed me or...he's dead. I have no more allies here." PM Rune: Crossbow Lady still likes you. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Maybe. But Myria runs a business. Flare, too. They won't help me until I have something to offer." PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Darthok was my guy on the inside. If he was there...maybe I could get something." PM Quill: Like what? PM Rune: I think you should try to move on. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "MOVE ON TO WHAT?!?" PM Havenfall: Anomie: "I didn't lost some things, I LOST A FUCKING EMPIRE!" PM Rune: Whatever you want. You have plenty of gifts. PM Hank: Yes and trying to regain it has seen you almost lose your life. PM Hank: And mine, multiple times now. PM Havenfall: A voice comes behind you. "Almost." PM *** Hank turns around to see who it is. *** PM Quill: ((Quill vaporizes the sound of the voice.)) PM Quill: ((That is a joke.)) PM Havenfall: Turning around you see Torment, the same creepy Tiefling figure you'd seen before. With his horn beard meticulously done now and dressed in far more...professional looking attire. PM Rune: Oh, hullo, Dormant. PM Quill: No, no, it's Painangst. PM Rune: It is? … are you sure it isn't Dormant? Or Doormat? No, it's Dormant, I'm pretty sure it's Dormant. PM Hank: Slightly different settings than last time we saw each other. PM Havenfall: Torment attempts to walk past you and into the building. PM *** Quill does not let him. *** PM Quill: Hi. Can we help you? PM Havenfall: Torment: "I request words with my...predecessor." PM Rune: I request that you go and boil your blessed head. PM Havenfall: He casts a disgusted look at Anomie. PM Hank: I was there last time you were having words PM Hank: I don’t think so. PM Havenfall: Torment sighs. "Very well. I was hoping you'd be man enough for me to do this face to face, but if I must speak through your schoolyard chums, then fine." PM Havenfall: He reaches into his cloak and pulls out a fair sized sack of coins. PM Havenfall: He holds it out, seemingly expecting one of you to take it. PM Rune: … I don't understand. Why would anyone want to be man enough to do anything? PM Quill: Generally our pants have more useable pockets. PM Havenfall: Torment: "Here. 200 gold. A small amount compared to what you'd grown accustomed to. But more than fair, given the circumstances I think." PM Rune: I suppose being able to pee standing up is convenient, but it's not very hygienic. PM Hank: So first you try to kill him, then set an ambush for him and now you are just paying? PM Havenfall: He's still looking at Anomie while he speaks. Addressing her. PM Rune: Robes always have lots of pockets. PM Quill: It's a payoff. PM Rune: He's trying to bribe a member of AEGIS. PM Rune: I'm pretty sure that's technically illegal. PM Havenfall: Torment: "I didn't set the ambush. I merely gave permission to one of my underlings to shut him up. All this talk of 'the dread lord Darksbane returning' is undercutting me and making my job harder." PM Quill: He wants Darksbane to just let it go and stop sturring things up. PM Havenfall: Torment: "Frankly, I figured you were smart enough to run to another continent and stay there, but clearly I was wrong." PM Havenfall: Torment turns to Rune, now. "This gold, and this conversation, has absolutely nothing to do with you." PM Rune: I suppose we should arrest him on the bribery charges, but I'd rather take my shoes off and eat something terrible for me and drink tea. PM Rune: You're trying to bribe an officer of the law. PM Havenfall: Torment drops the gold into the dirt on the front step. PM *** Hank will put his hand on his sword, “ and what if we want to involve ourselves?l *** PM Rune: Quill, do you think his hair oil is flammable? PM Havenfall: Torment looks you all over. "Then there will be MAJOR consequences. I am not Darksbane. I'm not a child playing crime lord, I am the real thing. And I think your experience with Lady Lysaga has taught you how dangerous one of those can be." PM Rune: Wasn't she the vampire we dropped a house on and killed, Quill? PM Quill: I think whatever crap he puts in his mustache will go up. PM Havenfall: Torment: "...my mustache is made of bone." PM Rune: The horns probably won't, though. PM Rune: He means the polish. PM Rune: He's right, too. A lot of times polish is mostly oil. PM Havenfall: Torment: "...this is a stupid conversation. And I think I've said all I wanted to in it." PM Rune: What kind of house would you like dropped on you? PM Rune: Last time we used a mansion, but I think a three-bedroom ranch style would be more efficient in this case. PM Hank: Then leave before we make you. PM Havenfall: Torment turns to go, but Anomie speaks up. "When did the slavery start?" PM Havenfall: He stops. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Was it right after I left? Did you wait? ...or were you already involved?" PM Rune: He was already involved, obviously. PM Rune: It takes a lot of infrastructure to manage that sort of thing. PM Havenfall: Torment: "I didn't make the infrastructure." PM Rune: People are a lot harder to manage than livestock and even livestock takes a lot of really effective resource management. PM *** Hank will draw his sword “ we did kill the last slaver we came across.” *** PM Quill: Oh, yeah, super-killed him. PM Rune: He did try to bribe an officer. If we arrest him and he tries to escape... PM Havenfall: Anomie steps out past you guys now and picks up the gold. PM *** Hank will get between Jim and Torment. *** PM Havenfall: Anomie throws the gold back, so it lands around Torment's feet, scattering. PM Havenfall: Torment looks over and locks eyes with Anomie...then locks eyes with Hank. PM Rune: … maybe two beds, two baths. PM *** Hank will glare at him. *** PM Rune: I don't like these newfangled half-baths. It just seems indecisive. PM Havenfall: Torment now looks over at Rune. "You are extremely annoying. I see why he fell in with you." PM *** Rune 's eyes light up with an orangey-red glow. *** PM Rune: Kitchenette. PM Quill: Brownstone. Definitely a brownstone. It hurts more. PM Havenfall: Torment: "...take their advice, Jamaros. You're not good at this. Hang out with them, I'm told housepets get treated well." PM Havenfall: And with that, he turns and starts walking away. PM Havenfall: As soon as he turns a corner, Anomie falls to her knees and start picking up some of the loose coins. PM *** Rune rolls her eyes. *** PM Rune: I know we pay you better than that. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...since when do you pay me? You just let me live with you." PM Rune: You're not on the payroll? Bother. Why didn't you say something earlier? I'll talk to William. PM Rune: … I'm awfully behind on paperwork. PM Hank: I don’t know if he would agree with paying the former Darksbane. PM Rune: I'll talk him around. PM Rune: We need an expert. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...wait...payroll? ...I thought you were just being a pest, you actually want me in the group...permanently?" PM Rune: No, I just forgot you weren't already. PM Rune: I'll fill out the forms and things tonight. But I want some tea. PM Rune: The pay isn't that good, but you won't get any less than the rest of us. PM Havenfall: Anomie hugs Rune. Than breaks away quickly. PM *** Rune pats her on the back. *** PM Rune: You have thieves' tools and things already, don't you? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Yeah." PM Quill: It's... probably true we could use someone that is capable of subtlety at times. PM Quill: Just in terms of breaking and entering. PM Rune: Good. If you have any equipment requests for anything more than 500 gold, make sure you fill out the forms. No, you can't have a trebuchet, I already asked. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...I didn't want one before...but now I kind of do." PM Rune: There isn't enough room in the courtyard anyway. PM Rune: I did manage to get three potato guns and a fresh weekly supply of potatoes. PM Havenfall: Gerald comes out at this point. He has a full tray of tea. "I hope it wasn't forward of me, Miss Rune. But I did take the liberty of handling some of the paperwork for you in your absence. Just mundane, routine parts, you understand." PM Hank: (( what time is it?)) PM Havenfall: ((I'd say we're getting into the afternoon by this point, between the travel and the fighting and such. Late Afternoon, even.)) PM Rune: Gerald, you're amazing. PM Havenfall: Gerald: "Thank you." PM Rune: They kept the fruit going, right? PM Hank: So do we want to go back to the mages guild tonight or wait for tommorrow. PM Havenfall: Gerald: "Yes, and I may have requested some new items. I was feeling nostalgic for some more exotic fruits I encountered while sailing with Captain Black." PM *** Rune beams. *** PM Rune: What kind? PM Quill: You're pretty much best, Gerald. PM Rune: I really like kiwis. PM Havenfall: Gerald: "Are you familiar with star fruits? I assure you, if you get past the smell, they are extremely delicious." PM Rune: No, but I'd like to try one. I have to go and get those forms. PM Havenfall: As you go inside and settle in, Gerald prepares some carambola, more commonly known as "star fruit". PM Havenfall: Cut up, they do look like little greenish-yellow stars and they smell...awful. It is this pugnent awful smell. PM *** Rune wrinkles her nose, but eats one. *** PM Havenfall: Getting past the smell, the taste is surprisingly sweet and citrus-y. It's very similar to an apple or pear but a bit juicier and with a lot more flavor. PM Havenfall: They are cut up, though. So, they don't gush juice as you bite into them. But you can tell they're juicy. PM Havenfall: As you guys settle in, a sense of calm does return to things. Anomie did excuse herself to one of the bedrooms though. PM Quill: We should talk about getting Hank's brain fixed. PM *** Rune makes tea and does paperwork at the kitchen table. *** PM Rune: I'm honestly not sure it's a good idea. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "...seriously?" PM Hank: We still don’t know where the last stone is. PM Rune: Tampering with it again may not be the best option. PM Quill: He's going to try and lick one of your Walls of Fire and die. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "I feel there have to be better ways to acquire this information." PM Rune: I'm certain there are. I'm just worried about additional brain tampering. PM Havenfall: Osenas: "To be fair, what Mathias seemed to describe was a complete reversal. He would lose the information he gained to restore the old knowledge. But would be able to relearn it later." PM Rune: In theory. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Is it not worth at least bringing in Mathias to ask these questions to?" PM Havenfall: Taeral: "He didn't lose something insignificant, here." PM Hank: I am willing to talk to Matthias PM Quill: And we can write down everything he knows now and retain it that way. PM Hank: Also I am never walking into a potential trap without armor again. PM Rune: I'm afraid he'll be like "Oh, what's Ioun? Who's Mathias? What are caves?" PM Rune: And "Why do we need to go to Sigil?" PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Going into a potential trap without armor does not seem like the sort of thing one should be told NOT to do...yet here we are." PM Havenfall: At this point, there is a knock at the door. PM *** Hank will go answer it hand on his sword. *** PM Havenfall: It is Mathias: "HELLO, HANK!" PM Havenfall: He is shouting for no reason. PM Hank: Hi Mathias PM Rune: Hullo, Mathias. Come and sit down and have some tea. PM *** Hank will let him in *** PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Oh good, it's actually you this time!" PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I tried that at about three other houses first, it did NOT go over well at the second house. There was a lot of shouting." PM Quill: ... how many doors did knock at? Oh, okay. PM Havenfall: Mathias comes in and you see another figure beside him now. It's Malayssa. The young dragonborn girl who helped kidnap Rune and now helps Mathias in the mountain. ...cause you guys have weird effects on people. PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Twenty-seven. ...he knocked on Twenty-seven doors." PM Havenfall: Mathias: "So, we were having a lovely conversation, then you said some stuff and just kind of...left." PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Which, to a blind guy, is really rude. Just so you know." PM Rune: Sorry. I had to set some bad people on fire. PM Hank: They came to help us we were kind of in a life or death situation. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Well, I remain offended. And desire recompense. Malayssa, I order you to drink their tea!" PM Hank: And can we not use that word please. PM Havenfall: Mal: "Wait, why do I--?" PM Havenfall: Mathias: "NOW!" PM Havenfall: Mal groans and has a cup of tea. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "...so...how's everybody?" PM *** Rune pours Mathias one too. *** PM Rune: We're trying to figure out how many catches Ioun's kind offer has, if any. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "...hold on a sec." PM Havenfall: Mathias does the creepy thing where he takes off the bandages, revealing his empty sockets. He closes his eyes and when he opens them...Ioun's violet eyes star back. PM Havenfall: Ioun: I AM WILLING TO PROVIDE ALL DETAILS NEEDED. PM Rune: Yes, but you scare me. PM Hank: Ok then what is the offer? PM Havenfall: Ioun: IT IS NOT AN OFFER. I MERELY KNOW YOU HAVE LOOKED INTO DEALS WITH GODS BEING REVERSED. I AM MERELY INFORMING YOU THAT YOU CAN REVERSE AT ANY TIME. PM Hank: Anytime including after we have gotten to sigil and back? PM Havenfall: Ioun: YES. PM Rune: Usually there's a price. PM Havenfall: Ioun: THE PRICE WAS ALREADY PAID INITIALLY. HE PAID KNOWLEDGE OF FIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE STONES. HE MAY RETURN AT ANY TIME, ASSUMING HE IS BOTH ALIVE AND IN A CAPABLE ENOUGH MENTAL STATE TO DO SO. PM Rune: Well... all right. It's up to you, Hank. PM Hank: I am fine with that, so once the mission is completed I can reverse the deal. PM Havenfall: Ioun: POTENTIALLY. YOUR BRAIN HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH BY OTHER ENTITIES AND YOU HAVE MADE A BIG DEAL. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLY THAT, IF GIVEN A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE STONES YOUR MIND WILL BREAK BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE THE REVERSAL. PM Havenfall: Ioun: HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE ON YOUR LEVEL ARE NOT CAPABLE OF FULL KNOWLEDGE OF...MOST THINGS MAGICAL, REALLY. PM Hank: If we notice issues starting we can get back here to undo the deal then. PM Rune: Even I get bloody noses sometimes when I read things. PM Quill: I have noticed lots of issues. PM Quill: Like how you keep burning yourself. PM Rune: And I use a lot of fire. PM Rune: Hank, you can't be the one to decide. PM Rune: By definition you don't know enough. PM Havenfall: Ioun: MY INTENTIONS ARE NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, BUT TO SAFEGUARD THE KNOWLEDGE I POSSESS. IT IS MY DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO HIDDEN TRUTHS WITHOUT A PROPER PENALTY PAID. IF YOU FEEL YOU CAN LIVE WITH THE PENALTY, THEN THAT IS YOUR DECISION. PM Rune: Exactly. PM Havenfall: Ioun: I CANNOT REVERSE THE DEAL IF THE RECIPIENT IS UNWILLING. HE MUST AGREE BEFORE I DO ANYTHING. PM Rune: I know. PM Rune: Hopefully he can either designate somebody to decide that he trusts--maybe his mother?--or let us vote. PM Hank: How about this William is the one who told us how urgent this was. PM Rune: That's a good idea. PM Hank: If William says to give up the knowledge I will. PM Havenfall: You guys call him over the comms? PM *** Rune does. *** PM Havenfall: Ok, I'll say you guys sum up the situation. No need to recap everything. PM Havenfall: There's a long pause before William speaks. PM Havenfall: William: "I feel that keeping this is too dangerous of me to ask of you. I can do research here while you guys find the other two stones, first. And you can message me back anything you find that might help." PM Rune: I cast fire a lot. PM Havenfall: William: "If Hank died as a result of this, then we'd lose our one resource, anyway." PM Hank: We don’t know how soon or likely that is. PM Hank: But if that’s your decision that’s what we will do. PM Rune: … a lot. PM Havenfall: William: "...it is. Do it." PM Hank: Ioun I agree. PM Rune: WRITE IT ALL DOWN FIRST, HANK. PM Havenfall: Ioun nods and her eyes flash. Hank, when it's done, you remember making the deal, you remember all the events that have happened since as they have happened. You remember having the visions. You remember being amazed by fire each and every time. But the visions themselves fade. The blips you saw on the map of where the stones were, vanish. And you suddenly go...oh right...fire burns shit. PM *** Quill is in the process of getting out the map! *** PM Hank: Little late for that Rune, I already told you guys though. When I had the visions. PM Havenfall: ((I will say you all remember enough to get the basics of what you knew.)) PM Rune: Well at least you won't stick your face into enormous walls of deadly flame anymore. PM Hank: True. PM Quill: It wouldn't have been so bad if you didn't stick your tongue on every other fire we saw! Don't do that with other strange unknown energies! PM Hank: It’s not my fault it was so fascinating. PM Havenfall: Ioun: I ASSUME THIS IS SATISFACTORY TO YOU ALL. PM Rune: Yes. Thank you. I'm sure he's learned a very valuable lesson. PM Quill: For a second time. PM Rune: About not being daft. PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Lies!" PM *** Rune eyes her. " How much have you been hanging around Mathias?" *** PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Too long. WAY too long." PM Rune: Wider social circles are always good. PM Havenfall: Ioun: I SHALL GO NOW. MY HUSBAND WILL SEE MALAYSSA HOME SAFELY. YOU HAVE A LOVELY FAMILY HERE, RUNE. PM *** Rune smiles. *** PM Rune: Thank you. PM Rune: I am very grateful for them. And for your help. PM Havenfall: Ioun: I DO NOT BELIEVE I DID HELP. I PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEN PROVIDED A RELEASE. BOTH OF WHICH WERE THERE, EVEN WITHOUT ME. PM Havenfall: Ioun: BUT I SUPPOSE IT IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE. PM Rune: I feel like learning about prices is still useful knowledge. PM Havenfall: Ioun: TRUE. PM Havenfall: Ioun closes her eyes and Mathias reapplies his bandage. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Well...wasn't really around for that, but...no one sounds like they're killing each other. Did it go well?" PM Hank: Yes. PM Rune: I like her. Even if she is scary. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "She is VERY scary. That's what make it so sexy. Taeral gets it!" PM Havenfall: Taeral: "I really don't." PM Rune: You dated an evil bodysnatching necromancer. PM Hank: He didn’t know that at the time. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Yes, but I didn't--Exactly. Thank you, Hank." PM Rune: Or you were subconsciously drawn to him because he'd treat you badly. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "You had to have known something was up when he taught Esme that spell. That is not the sort of magic you just tell powerful sorceresses in training." PM Havenfall: Anomie enters at this point. He's in a male form now. It is still a red-haired male with freckles but he is decidedly more strapping than your average commoner. PM Rune: You look nice. PM Rune: Too many muscles, though. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "...I may have been...somewhat enthralled by his dangerous side." PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Jealous?" PM Rune: Exactly. PM Rune: No, I just think they're all veiny and gross. PM *** Rune is, remember, dating someone who could easily be the posterboy for a Kpop band. *** PM Havenfall: Anomie frowns and his muscles...deflate, slightly. But he is still sticking to a more muscular build. PM *** Quill is filming commericials for strange carbonated drinks in Korea right now. *** PM Havenfall: ((Then who is this sitting across from everyone! QUILL IS THE TRAITOR!)) PM Rune: ((Starfruit Soda!)) PM Havenfall: ((That probably exists)) PM Rune: ((Doubtless!)) PM Havenfall: Malayssa whacks Mathias on the back of the head. "YOU NEVER APOLOGIZED, BY THE WAY!" PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Ow! Vile Harpy! You'd think the young would have more respect for their elders." PM Hank: What did he do to apologize for? PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Leo and I wake up one morning, in the cave and find out, he just up and left. Turns out, he teleported to the guild and had been staying there FOR DAYS!" PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Without telling us!" PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I wrote a note." PM Hank: Also Jim how well do those muscles work since you just formed them? Do they actually make you stronger or just for looks? PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "YOU CAN'T WRITE! YOU ARE BLIND!" PM Hank: You can write Mathias? PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I remember writing. I figured it was like writing a bicycle." PM Rune: … that is fairly impressive. PM Rune: Well, you can stay here if you want to, tonight. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "...side note, bicycles are a thing, somewhere. Ioun was telling me about them. They sound fun." PM Rune: What's a bi... cycle? PM Havenfall: Malayssa pulls out a sheet of parchment, presumably what Mathias "wrote" on. It is a series of black squiggles. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I don't know, but I want one!" PM Havenfall: Anomie: "They're not real muscles. They just...look like muscles." PM *** Rune eyes Anomie. *** PM *** Quill rubs his eyes. *** PM Rune: Your skin is too good. You need more freckles and a bulettepox scar. PM Rune: And make one eyebrow go up a little bit higher than the other one. PM | Edited 10:28:36 PM Havenfall: Anomie grimaces. "Not right now, ok?" PM Hank: (( seeming would have worn off by now right?)) PM Havenfall: ((Oh yeah, a while ago)) PM Havenfall: ((Assuming Quill didn't just disspell it in the first place.)) PM Rune: Anyone could drop by and open the door at any time. PM Hank: The main person he wouldn’t want to know already knows he is here. PM Hank: Let Jim be how he wants for now. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "I can also hide if there's a knock at the door." PM Rune: Oh, all right. I do think you look nice with orangey hair. PM Havenfall: Anomie blushes. "Thanks." PM Quill: It's a good look, definitely. PM Quill: ... is there anyone else that is likely to come looking for you? PM *** Rune gets going on the paperwork. *** PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...um...a few people, maybe." PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Torment knows me most recently, so, we'll probably be fine so long as we avoid a few other...countries." PM Hank: ... countries? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...it's not that big a deal, really." PM Hank: A whole country being after you sounds like a big deal. PM Rune: Which one? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "After me is a stretch. It's more like...I just can't go back to certain places." PM Rune: Places such as? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...specifically Kumat. The Dynnes do not like me." PM Hank: ... PM Rune: Do they still think you killed your childhood frenemy? PM *** Hank will just stare at Jim. *** PM Havenfall: "My former fiancee? I dunno. Maybe." PM Rune: Oh, is that what it was? I figured it was something like that. PM Havenfall: "Technically, I wasn't. The grand duchess Soramaj of Vinnick was." PM Rune: Is she a real person? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "No, not at all. I don't even think Vinnick is a real place." PM Havenfall: He's kind of beaming with pride at this point. PM Rune: They probably also learned a very valuable lesson. I wish William would come by, then I could give him this paperwork. PM Rune: Here, sign this. PM Hank: So why keep so many souvenirs of them? PM *** Rune offers it to Anomie. *** PM Havenfall: Anomie looks it over. "Anything in here I should know about?" PM Rune: We own your soul in perpetuity. PM Rune: No, not really. Mostly it's stuff about paperwork you have to fill out to get other paperwork for stuff. PM Quill: At this point we've talked William out of most of the really invasive privacy things. PM Quill: So really you're coming in at the perfect time. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Hah. Good luck with that. You'd probably have to fight five other entities to get at it." PM Rune: As long as they're flammable entities. PM Havenfall: Anomie shrugs. "I've heard worse deals. ...what do I sign it as?" PM Rune: You, obviously. PM Havenfall: Anomie thinks on this for a moment and then writes, in lovely cursive "Jim". PM Rune: Don't forget to initial each page. PM *** Rune contacts William on the badges and asks if he wants to drop over to pick up some paperwork. *** PM Havenfall: William: "Can it wait until morning, by any chance? It's gotten kind of late." PM Havenfall: At this point, it's gone into the evening. PM Rune: Of course. PM Rune: But I'm counting payroll back from today. PM Havenfall: William groans. PM Rune: I already filled it out. PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Do I get back pay? Ask him if I get back pay." PM Rune: You don't get any back pay, you were a private contractor then. PM Rune: That's a different classification. PM Hank: Don’t press your luck Jim. PM Havenfall: Jim rolls his eyes, but nods. PM Rune: It comes from a different revenue stream. PM Havenfall: William: "I will make sure you get everything you are owed. Word of warning, I may have to lower the amount of food provided to you. Verenestra's garden is...not what it once was." PM Rune: I'm surprised you never got into white collar crime. It's a lot less work and people tend not to try to cover you with honey or blow you up. PM Rune: Is she all right? PM Quill: ... we'll be back on the road before long, Wiilliam. PM Rune: If we have to trade some of our equipment budget for food, do it. PM Rune: We can't not have ears and eyes on the street, it's very important. PM Havenfall: William: "I will see what I can do. The sprites you met before came back, they are tending in her absence." PM Havenfall: William: "...you didn't hear." PM Rune: No. PM Havenfall: William: "Dodger's...Dodger's gone underground. Even more so. We keep some of his kids on pay and have worked to provide them homes. Many of them were friends of Max. We're...we're not sure what happened to Dodger himself." PM Havenfall: William: "A lot of our eyes and ears seem to have vanished with him." PM Rune: … we need to find him. PM Havenfall: William: "It's not like I haven't been trying." PM Rune: I know. I don't know if it'll help to put the word out that I'm looking for him, but if it does... PM Havenfall: William: "I will try and leak it out. You have a better connection with those kids than we do." PM *** Rune nods. *** PM Havenfall: ((Which he can't see. Auditory comms. :) )) PM Rune: We put Jim on the payroll. PM Havenfall: William: "...who's Jim?" PM Rune: Criminologist. PM Rune: We needed an expert. That might help with espionage as well. PM Havenfall: Jim: "I'm also an official love guru if he's having problems in the bedroom." PM Rune: He's got a lot of spare identities lying around, which might be useful. PM Havenfall: William: "...you already added him to the payroll, haven't you?" PM Rune: As of today, yes. PM Rune: It's all filled out, I marked where you need to sign it. PM Havenfall: William: "...very well. He does not get equal pay to the rest of you, though." PM Rune: I already filled that part out, and he does. PM Rune: I was going to ask you about an additional budget increase. PM Rune: But that can wait until we get back, I suppose. PM Havenfall: William: "I believe it can, yes. I will come by to go over these forms with you tomorrow morning." PM Rune: All right. We'll have breakfast. PM Havenfall: William: "Good night, Rune." PM Rune: Goodnight! PM *** Quill waves. *** PM Havenfall: ((Again. Comms. No visual aspect.)) PM Hank: (( William is William he has scrying orbs throughout the prison.)) PM Havenfall: ((YOU HAVE NO PROOF! :) )) PM Rune: ((He might even need that, he's probably got tree roots there.)) PM Havenfall: Anomie: "...how long are we going to stay in the city?" PM Quill: Not long. PM Hank: We planned on leaving tommorrow I thought? PM Havenfall: Osenas: "It sounds like there's things to do tomorrow, though." PM Rune: We can leave after lunch. PM Havenfall: Osenas has moved over to Taeral while all this was going on, btw. The two seemed to be discussing things on the side. PM Havenfall: Anomie nods. "Good. After lunch is...good." PM Quill: How are we getting there? PM Hank: And which there are we going to? PM Rune: The guild can probably send us. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "If we can dig them up, there are records of old magic circles at the guild. Depending on where we go from here we could pop through in one." PM | Edited 11:11:54 PM Havenfall: Osenas: "Or, hear me out...road trip?" PM Rune: That would take too long. PM Hank: Especially if going to ioxusuush. PM Havenfall: Osenas: "...road trip after we save the city?" PM Rune: Maybe. PM Hank: There will probably be road trips anyway, I doubt we will be able to teleport straight to the stones. PM Rune: That's true. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "So, the circles are our best option. They are quick, we have the connections to find them easily, and it would save us days of travel." PM Rune: Right. PM Rune: If we can get the other end. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "So, I guess the question becomes...Dwarven Kingdom or West I'oxuzush?" PM Quill: Hrm. PM Quill: Would either one be easier sooner rather than later? PM Havenfall: Anomie: "Never been to I'oxuzush, so I can't say there. But we're getting closer and closer to winter and...well...the Dwarven Kingdom is COLD." PM Hank: Afraid of a little snow Jim? PM Havenfall: Jim: "I'm afraid of dying of hypothermia and frostbite, yes." PM Rune: Let's go there now, then. And get it over with. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "I mean...there are other factors to consider." PM Hank: Like what? PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Your vision indicated an ancient temple in the wilderness. Making it a less populated and, therefore, less guarded location. If this Nefron is going after the stones too, I'd imagine he'd go to that one first." PM *** Quill nods. *** PM Rune: Which one is that? PM Havenfall: Taeral: "I'oxuzush." PM Rune: Then let's do that one next. PM Quill: That would mean confronting him sooner rather than later. I'm not crazy about it, but it makes sense. PM Hank: Or beating him to it. PM Havenfall: Taeral: "Then we look for that one next. And Jim learns to dress warmer." PM Rune: We can expense some parkas. PM Havenfall: Jim: "I am just saying. The Fiend King's biggest mistake, some say, was invading the Kingdom in winter." PM Hank: We aren’t invading we are doing a quick visit. PM Rune: Right. PM Rune: We start with the one I can't pronounce. PM Havenfall: Jim: "...ok...I'll see if I can get an outfit together. I've seen some pictures, they have these gorgeous colorful dresses that go like..." PM Havenfall: As Jim talks, you watch him slowly seem to start to shift into the earlier girl form he was in. PM *** Rune is actually interested in the fashion aspect, and listens. *** PM Havenfall: ((Basically, he describes stuff that sounds like Wakandan fashion)) PM Rune: I would stick with something plain until we see people wearing something like that. It sounds very distinctive. PM Rune: … and pretty. PM Hank: Trust me we will stick out in ioxusuush anyway. PM Hank: (( my phone thinks that is a word now)) PM Rune: I stand out everywhere. PM Anna: "I am likely going to just be a cat, or whichever animal I run across there that suits the situation." PM Havenfall: Mathias: "...so...I've been waiting for a good moment to ask...can we use your teleportation circle please?" PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "Dude, shush. If they don't remember we're here, they might get back to the fiancee stuff." PM Rune: Where do you want to go? PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I was gonna go back to my mountain, honestly." PM Hank: You have a teleportation circle in your cave? PM Havenfall: Mathias: "Of course! How do you think I do my grocery shopping?" PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "These people are weird." PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I know." PM Rune: Yes, you can use our teleportation circle if you want. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "I mean, you did offer us to spend the night. I will take that. But I demand to sleep on your softest rocks!" PM Havenfall: Malayssa: "...a bed would be fine. I'd like a bed. Please give me a bed." PM Rune: We have a few guest rooms and of course they have beds. PM Rune: The floors are made of rocks if you move the rugs over. PM Havenfall: Mathias: "SOLD!" PM Havenfall: Mathias: "This, Mal, is what we called the art of the deal." PM Rune: The pantry's over there, help yourself.